It’s official, the prognosticator of Punxsutawney, Pa., aka Phil, deemed six more weeks of winter.
At least four weeks have passed since his decree. Instead of lamenting the cold and gray skies, I suggest a quick antidote: Reconnect with nature, lush plantings, and a positive outlook.
In a few hours you will be greeted by warm, sweet air surrounded by lush growth and salt breezes or flanked by manicured gardens. Hop a quick flight from Westchester Airport to West Palm Beach. Then just west of the airport is The Grassy Waters Preserve, a 23-square-mile wetlands ecosystem. Most people head East to the waterfront wall of condominiums. Instead, I’ll paraphrase Horace Greely: Go West.
In less time than it takes to drive past never-ending malls to a busy beach, you can be in a wildlife setting four times the size of Rye. The Grassy Waters Preserve is a key component of the Greater Everglades watershed. It remains a pristine remnant of the Everglades system. It’s a mosaic of wetlands, tree islands and forested hammocks, and home to a variety of native wildlife and unique plants. Also, it’s an integral contributor to the freshwater supply for the Palm Beaches.
It’s open to the public, with boardwalks leading to wonderful vistas, a nature center, hiking trails, and guided canoe trips. Grassy Waters Preserve is at 8264 Northlake Blvd., West Palm Beach, Fla. 33412. (561) 804-4985.
Some 45 minutes up the coast is Nathaniel P. Reed Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge, which has the largest contiguous section of undeveloped beaches in Southeastern Florida. It is considered one of the most productive sea turtle nesting areas in the Southeastern United States. It is an oasis that allows you to experience what the early days of Florida must have been like. It’s a place to let sea breezes blow the winter blues away. There are miles of quiet beach to get your steps in while being far away from the cacophony of close-by carping sunbathing voices.
The Refuge is a sanctuary for 40 species listed as threatened, endangered, or of special concern. This biodiversity is supported by a large remnant of sand pine scrub, 10 miles of mangrove communities along the Indian River Lagoon, and 3.5 miles of Atlantic Ocean beach.
There’s a daily $5 entrance fee. Nathaniel P. Reed Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge is at N. Beach Rd, Hobe Sound, Fla. 33455. (772) 546-6141.
Time to visit the highest point in Florida, Bok Tower Gardens.
This is a national historic landmark that features hiking trails, 50 acres of gardens, the 20-room El Retiro Estate, and the 205-foot art deco and neo-Gothic Singing Tower carillon.
Bok Tower Gardens has fascinated millions of Florida visitors since it opened in 1929. It is a place of historic beauty and serenity. Among the rolling hills of citrus in Lake Wales, it continues to be one of the most remarkable and awe-inspiring attractions in Central Florida that was a gift of Edward W. Bok.
Bok immigrated to the United States when he was only six from Den Helder, Netherlands. After a successful career — becoming publisher of the Ladies Home Journal and a Pulitzer-Prize winning author, and completing many other noteworthy achievements — he moved to Lake Wales, Fla. The countryside inspired his vision of creating a beautiful place to inspire others and touch hearts.
He commissioned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. to fulfill his vision with a 60-bell, 205-foot Singing Tower Carillon. This majestic Carillon plays 30-minute bell concerts each day. There also are various gardens, a reflecting pool filled with giant Victoria Water Lilies that spread to eight feet in diameter, a stunning Japanese stone peace lantern, a preserved native landscape, and demonstration gardens.
In 1929, he presented these gifts to the United States as a way to express his gratitude for the many opportunities this country had presented him. Just another positive example of what happens when Lady Liberty welcomes immigrants. Bok Tower Gardens is located at 1151 Tower Boulevard, Lake Wales, Fla. 33853. (863)676-1408. Info@boktowergardens.org. Admission is $20.
Standing at Florida’s highest point with a distant view, one can appreciate Mr. Bok’s quote: “Wherever your lives may be cast, make the world a bit better or more beautiful because you have lived in it.”
Now recharged and inspired in spite of how the world seems at times, you too can make the world a bit better.
